Expats keep Xmas tradition alive with 'Dubai family'

On Christmas Day, UAE expats tried to keep the traditions of their home country alive.

- Nasreen Abdulla [e-mail]

Melissa celebrating Christmas with family friends. (Left) Ewha Kim and her family now have their own Abu Dhabi-style Christmas. (Right) Cha Baron along with her housemates and friends recreate the Christmas spirit in Dubai.

While some hosted dinners at their homes, others tried to create new traditions for their multicultural families.For Filipina expat Cha Baron, Christmas is about Noche Buena. When celebrating the festive season in the UAE, far away from her family, she tried to keep that tradition alive. “Noche Buena is Christmas Eve, and it’s very special to us because it’s about family, love, and togetherness,” she said.

Noche Buena, which literally translates into ‘Good Night’, is a practice commonly celebrated especially among Latina, Hispanic, Filipino and Spanish families. They usually attend Christmas mass at the church and gather at home to eat a feast at midnight.